Spring Break
So I know this is horribly overdue, but it’s been a rough month and a half since I returned from my epic spring break road trip. Which brings me to the task at hand: My 23 New Things Challenge!
Despite the length of time that has past since my last post, the challenge is still on, and my epic spring break road trip happened to cover several of my challenges.
13. Take a road trip with friends
So I did take a short roadtrip in January with Jennifer, which I was originally intending to count as this challenge, but fate had other plans. It new when I wrote ‘road trip’ I meant it. Camden and I were at a party one evening when the idea surfaced. An epic road trip starting in Baltimore driving south and then a u-turn up to Kentucky to visit home. Seemed like a pipe dream, but it tuns out other people were interested as well. Peter and Christie joined the bandwagon and suddenly the trip was becoming a reality.
Sure, we hit a few snafu’s on the way: Camden couldn’t come at the last minute and that made all of us very sad, Christie had to miss out on the first few days, and it was an emotional trip for all. But it’s hard to avoid emotion when your trapped in a roughly 6 x 6 space for 2000 miles. But It was amazing. I loved nearly every minute of it.
We drove a good portion of our drive down the Blue Ridge Parkway, kind of winging it as we went. We stayed with family and friends, and visited many of the places I spent my summers when I was younger. And I got to show my friends my hometown. Peter and I even discovered that in another life we might have met a lot earlier. His family is from the same small town in eastern Kentucky that mine is. Our Grandparents have known each other for years.
Here is a picture, make of it what you will:
Some Highlights:
Cruisin’ Norris Lake with Turkey
J.R. Hoe and Sons Foundry Tour (Peter’s Family Owns This Place)
Bourbon!!!
Our Awesome Tour Guide, Freddie, at Buffalo Trace
Tasting
8. Take a Vacation on My Own Dime
I am proud to say that despite all the stress it cause in my life, I paid for my portion of this roadtrip with money from my savings, after saving all my receipts and counting up everthing I spent, here is the final budget:
Food: $115
Misc: $44
Gas: $122
Lodging: $115
Total: $396
It was more than I had originally planned on spending, but it was worth it. I had so much fun, it was a really great way to spend my final college spring break.
6. Teach Someone Something
I have so far failed to mention that it was my car we took on this trip. 2000 and then some miles in my manual transmission mini-cooper. Which would be fine, except I was the only person who could drive stick.
For the first part of our journey it was just me, peter, and a long stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway. So I told Peter I would try and teach him how to drive stick. He knew the basic concept, and after a couple of tries and my excellent tutelage he could get into gear on a flat surface. He drove for about a half hour until we had to get back on the real roads. Driving manual is pretty easy when you don’t have to down shift.
He needs a little bit of practice, but otherwise he’s there. Some one get him access to a car and in about a week he’ll be driving like a pro.
